Thumbnail-sized invasive jellyfish called Craspedacusta sowerbii are making a new home for themselves in B.C. freshwaters. So far, they have been observed in many lakes in southern B.C. and on Vancouver Island.
The jellyfish are believed to be native to southeast China; however, the question of how they arrived to B.C. is currently unknown.
“We know they are there. We know they are potentially widespread. But before we go a step further, we need to know what they do and then we can talk about that,” said Florian Lüskow, a University of British Columbia PhD candidate and researcher.
The provincial government has listed the invasive jellyfish as widespread, “but may be of concern in specific situations with certain high values. Management objective is to reduce the invasive species’ impacts locally or regionally, where resources are available.”
To prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species like invasive jellyfish, remember to clean, drain, and dry watercraft and equipment before travelling to new lakes.
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